Device for securing a display to a door

ABSTRACT

A device for securing a display to a door utilizes attachment clips which attach to the door. The attachment clips each have a first side wall, a second wall and an end wall which extends between the first side wall and the second side wall. An arm is attached to the first side wall. The arm is attached to a display retaining assembly which is configured, upon installation, to retain the display against the door, where the display retaining assembly applies a load which causes the first side wall to engage a first surface of the door and the second side wall to engage a second side of the door, thereby urging the end wall against a side of the door.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No.63/156,448 filed on Mar. 4, 2021.

BACKGROUND AND FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a device for mounting adisplay to an object, and more specifically to a device for securelymounting a display to a door.

Door displays are commonly used by businesses to provide a variety ofinformation to the public. Such information may include advertisements,marketing information, business hours, product specials, and the like.Such information is often affixed to the exterior of the door or to aninterior side of a glass door. This may be done in a variety of ways,ranging from simple methods such as taping the display to the exteriorof the door, to methods such as utilizing suction cups or otherfasteners to secure the display to the exterior of the door. Suchdisplays are easily removed, however, because the fasteners or othermechanisms used to attach the display to the exterior of the door areaccessible to, and capable of being manipulated by, anyone with accessto the exterior of the door.

In addition to the door displays described above, it may be desirable tosecurely affix other items to a door, such as a thin screened plasma orLED electronic display screen. Such screens may be utilized to displaystill and moving images. It is desirable that in affixing these types ofitems to a door, the device adequately mounts the item to secure it fromfalling due to motion of the door or other disturbance of the item.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a device for securing adisplay to a door. The device has a first attachment clip having a firstside wall, a second side wall, an an end wall extending between thefirst side wall and the second side wall, and an arm attached to thefirst side wall and extending away therefrom. The device furthercomprises a display retaining assembly which is configured, such thatwhen the device has been installed to the door, to retain the displayagainst the door. The display retaining assembly is attached to an endof the arm distal to the end wall. The display retaining assembly isconfigured to apply a load such that the display retaining assemblycauses the first side wall to engages a first surface of the door, thesecond side wall to engage a second side of the door, and urges the endwall against a side of said door. The device may have a secondattachment clip which may be substantially the same as the firstattachment clip. The second attachment clip is attached to an end of thedisplay retaining assembly where the display retaining assembly isconfigured to apply a load which urges a second attachment clip end wallagainst a second side of the door.

The display retaining assembly may comprise a rod member having a springattached to an end thereof to form a rod-spring combination, where therod-spring combination is disposed between the first attachment clip andthe second attachment clip.

Alternatively, for a door having a sheet of glass disposed within aglass pocket, the display retaining assembly may comprise a frameassembly having a left side rail configured to be urged against a leftside of the glass pocket and a right side rail configured to be urgedagainst a right side of the glass pocket. A bottom rail may span betweenthe left side rail and the right side rail, where the bottom rail isconfigured to be disposed at the bottom of the glass pocket. A lowerleft side clip track may be attached to a bottom of the left side railand a lower right side clip track may be attached to a bottom of theright side rail. The bottom rail may have a left end attached to thelower left side clip track and a right end attached to the lower rightside clip track. The first attachment clip described above may attach tothe lower left side clip track and the second attachment clip, alsodescribed above, may attach to the lower right side clip track.

The display retaining assembly may further have an upper left side cliptrack attached at an upper end of the left side rail and an upper rightside clip track attached at an upper end of the right side rail. A thirdattachment clip may be attached to the upper left side clip track and afourth attachment clip may be attached to the upper right side cliptrack, where the third attachment clip and the fourth attachment clipare configured substantially the same as the first attachment clip andthe second attachment clip. An upper rail member may span between theleft side rail and the right side rail, where the upper rail is disposedabove the upper left side track and the upper right side track.

A method of attaching a display to a glass door utilizes the clips anddisplay retaininig assembly disclosed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a double acting glass door for whichembodiments of the present invention may be utilized for attaching adisplay.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present apparatus attached to a door.

FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of an a door clip which may be utilizedwith embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a top elevation view of an another embodiment of a door clipwhich may be utilized with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of a door clip of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6A is an inside view of an embodiment of a door clip of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6B is a profile view of the embodiment of the door clip shown inFIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 is a first perspective view of one embodiment of a display holderwhich utilizes alternative embodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of one embodiment of a display holderwhich utilizes alternative embodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 9 is a front and side perspective view of the device of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the device of FIGS. 8-9.

FIG. 11 shows a first step in the assembly of an embodiment of a displayholder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 12 shows a second step in the assembly of an embodiment of adisplay holder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 13 shows a third step in the assembly of an embodiment of a displayholder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 14 shows a fourth step in the assembly of an embodiment of adisplay holder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 15 shows a fifth step in the assembly of an embodiment of a displayholder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 16 shows a sixth step in the assembly of an embodiment of a displayholder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 17 shows a seventh step in the assembly of an embodiment of adisplay holder which utilizes emboodiments of the door clips of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,”and other such directional terms as used for ease and clarity indescribing the present invention with respect to the accompanyingfigures. Unless otherwise state, such terms are not limitations on thedisclosure of the invention described herein.

The device of the present disclosure is described herein in the contextof a door display. Embodiments of the device may be utilized on soliddoors. Alternatively, embodiments of the device may be utilized withdouble acting glass doors, such as glass doors 200 depicted in FIG. 1,which are frequently utilized with commercial business buildings,including retail stores, restaurants, and the like. Glass doors 200typically have a sheet of glass 202 set within a glass pocket having abottom 204, a left side 206 and a right side 208. Such glass doors 200typically have a handle member 210 which spans across the door.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of an device which may be utilized forsecuring a display D to a door or 200 or other door. The device utilizesdoor clips 10 which utilize a display retaining assembly 50 whichapplies a load which retains the door clips 10 and the display D inplace. Door clips 10 respectiely engage the left side 206 and right side208 of door 200. As described below, door clips 10 have a novel designwhich facilitate attachment of the display D.

As generally shown in FIGS. 3-5, embodiments of a door clip 10, 10′ havea first side wall 12, a second side wall 14, and an end wall 15extending between the first side wall and the second side wall. A ring16 may be optionally attached to the first side wall 12, extendingtherefrom via arm 18. In the embodiment of door clip 10 shown in FIG. 3,side wall 15 has a curvature associated therewith, while the door clip10′ depicted in FIG. 4 has a flat side wall 15′ Although in manyinstances the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 may be used interchangeablywith the embodiment of the ring clip 10′ shown in FIG. 4, in some casesthe physical characteristics of a door may lease a user to prefer oneembodiment over another.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, ring 16 or other attachment mechanism isutilized for attachment of display retaining assembly 50 which exerts aforce against a portion of the door to which door clip 10, 10′ will besecured. As shown in FIGS. 3-5, ring 16 may be connected by ring arm 18to a body 34 formed of a first shoulder 30 and a second shoulder 32extending away from ring arm 18 in opposing directions. It iscontemplated that body 34 might also be a single, uniform structure anda shortened ring arm 18 may attach ring 16 to that structure. It iscontemplated that the edge of ring 16 does not lay flat along the sameplane as ring arm 18, but that instead the ring 16 is perpendicular tothe plane of ring arm 18 and body 34. Ring arm 18 may be of any suitablelength and may be adjustable to allow for variable positioning of ring16 with respect to the side walls or body of the device.

As shown in FIG. 5, first side wall 12 may comprise two tabs 20 and 22,where the tabs and side wall 14 have a generally elongated c-shapedcross-section between them. First tab 20 has a first aperture 24 andsecond tab 22 has a second aperture 26. First aperture 24 and secondaperture and 26 may be threaded so that an appropriately-sized screw mayengage each respective aperture. In use, body 34 may be inserted intothe space between side walls 14 and first and second tabs 22 and 24.Screws (not shown) can then be inserted into apertures 24 and 26 andtightened to retain body 34, and its associated ring arm 18 and ring 16,in place. Because body 34 is slidingly engaged within tabs 20 and 22 andfirst side wall 12, the position of body 34 therewithin may be adjustedas needed or desired. Characteristics of a door to which the clip isattached, such as thickness, ornamental designs, and the like may resultin depressions or protrusions in the door and may determine how far thescrews need to be tightened to securely hold the clip 10 in place.

When door clip 10, 10′ is associated with a door 200, side wall 14 istypically, but not necessarily, engaged with a front surface of thedoor. Side wall 15, 15′ extends around the side 206, 208 of the door200, and side wall 12 extends along a rear portion of the door. Sidewall 15, 15′ is configured sufficiently thin enough so that the door canclose with the clip affixed thereto. When placed on an exterior door200, passersby cannot detach the clip 10, 10′ by manipulating the screwsinserted through openings 24 and 26 because these are on the inside ofthe door and inaccessible. Clip 10, 10 may be secured to the door sofirmly that an individual on the outside of the door will have adifficult time grasping or otherwise manipulating side wall 14. It iscontemplated that, while the device of the present disclosure may beused with any door, some doors may be designed for use therewith and maybe formed with impressions or indentations to receive side wall 14 suchthat the side wall is flush with the exterior surface of the door andpresents no surface for manipulation from outside of the door.

FIGS. 6A and 6B provide views of an alternative embodiment of a doorclip 102 but with this embodiment body 34 and associated ring arm 18 andring 16 have been removed. This embodiment of door clip 102 may beutilized with a different embodiment of a display retaining assembly50′. A second embodiment of the displayer holder 100 results when doorclip 102 is utilized together with display retaining assembly 50′ asdepicted in FIGS. 7-10.

FIGS. 7-10 depict an embodiment of a display holder 100 comprising aretaining assembly 50′ to which are attached a plurality of door clips102 as described above. Display holder 100 includes four sets oftelescoping bars that form the sides of a generally rectangularstructure. For example, first telescoping bar 104 and second telescopingbar 106 form a left side rail B. First telescoping bar 104 and secondtelescoping bar 106 have the same general cross-section, with firsttelescoping bar 104 having a smaller cross-sectional width so that it iscapable of being received within the hollow interior of secondtelescoping bar 106. A locking mechanism, such as a detent or pin, maybe used to secure first telescoping bar 104 at the appropriate positionalong the length of second telescoping bar 106. Likewise, telescopingbars 108, 110 form a right side rail C. Telescoping bars 112, 114 form abottom rail member A which spans between the left side rail and theright side rail. Telescoping bars 116, 118 form an upper rail member Gwhich also spans between the left side rail B and the right side rail C.Thus, the overall dimensions of display holder 100 can be adjusted asrequired for any particular door 200 to fit any rectangular display D ordevice.

Display holder 100 further includes top elbow joints 120 at the top twocorners. Display holder 100 further includes bottom elbow joints 121 atthe bottom two corners. Bottom elbow joints 121 differ from elbow joints120 in that the bottom elbow joints are in a “tee” configuration havingan arm portion 122 extending outwardly from the joint. Elbow joints 120,121 are sized, shaped, and configured to receive each of the ends of thetelescoping bars that form the sides of the display holder 100, witheach elbow joint 120, 121 receiving the ends of two telescoping bars. Asshown in the figures, arm portion 122 of bottom elbow joints 121 areconfigured for attachment of door clips 102

Embodiments of display holder 100 also have clip tracks 124 eachslidingly engaged with a respecting telescoping bar. A left side cliptrack 124 is positioned on the left side rail comprising telescopingbars 104, 106. Left side clip track 124 comprises an extension arm 125which is configured for attachment of a door clip 102. Likewise, a rightside clip track 124 is positioned on the right side rail comprisingtelescoping bars 108, 110 and right side clip track 124 also comprisesan extension arm which is configured for attachment of a door clip 102.Clip tracks 124 allow for adjustable positioning of a door clip 102along the length of a side of display holder 100. A detent, pin, orother mechanism may be used to secure a clip track 124 at a desiredlocation.

Although the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-10 have attachment points forthe door clips 102 at the bottom elbow joints 121 at the bottom and atthe two clip tracks 124 at opposing sides of the device, it iscontemplated that all clips may be attached to elbow joints, or that allclips may be attached to slide members, or that any combination of thetwo may be used. In embodiments wherein all clips are attached to slidemembers, it should be noted that elbow joints (without clips) are stillused at the corners of the device for structural integrity.

The various embodiments of a door display holder may be used to attach avariety of displays D to a door 200. The door display holder may beattached so that only side walls 14 of each clip 10, 102 are on theexterior of the door thereby limiting manipulation by individualsoutside the door. Such displays may be retained between the first sidewall 12 or second side wall 14 of a door clip and the door, or betweenretaining assembly 50, 50′ and the door. The displays may be thinstructures having advertisements, business hours, or any other desiredindicia thereon.

FIGS. 11-17 illustrate a method of installing embodiments of a displayholder 100 to a door 200. As shown in FIG. 11, left side rail B andright side rail C are inserted into bottom elbow joints 121 and screwsare inserted into the bottom elbow joints to secure the left side railand the right side rail. As indicated, allen screws tightened with anallen wrench W may be utilized for this purpose.

FIG. 12 shows left and right side clip tracks 124 being slidrespectively over left side rail B and right side rail C. Oncepositioned in the approximately correct position along the length of theleft side rail B and the right side rail C, screws are tightened tomaintain the clip tracks in the desired position on the rails.

FIG. 13 shows the assembly formed by the above steps being set within aglass pocket of a door 200 so that the bottom rail A is resting on thelip at the bottom 204 of the glass pocket. The telescoping rails 112,114 which comprise bottom rail A are held in position by screw 130.Screw 130 is loosened and left side rail B and right side rail C areslid laterally until left side rail B makes contact with left side 206of the window pocket and right side rail C makes contact with right side208 of the window pocket, at which point screw 130 is tightened.

FIG. 14 shows door clips 102 being attached to arm portions 122 ofbottom elbow joints 121 and to extension arms 125 of clips tracks 124 byuse of screws 130 which secure the door clips 102 to arm portions 122and extension arms 125.

FIG. 15 shows a display D being inserted into inwardly facing channelsof the left side rail B and the right side rail C. Display D is sliddownwardly until it is inserted into an upwardly facing channel ofbottom rail A.

FIG. 16 shows how left and right side slide clips 124 may be adjusted byloosening screw 130 and sliding the left and right side clips 124 asdesired along the lengths of left side rail B and right side rail C toadjust the height to be even with the display D.

FIG. 17 shows how telescoping bars 116 and 118 may be adjusted to fitinto the glass pocket of door so that top elbow joints 120 fit over theupper ends of left side rail B and right side rail C. Screws in topelbow joints 120 are thereafter tightened to secure the top elbow jointsto the upper ends of the side rails.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a display holder may beprovided to secure an electronic video monitor, such as a flat panel LCDor other monitor, to the interior of a glass door. The telescoping sidesof the display holder may be sized so as to engage the monitor and holdit in place. The monitor may be secured within the structure in anysuitable manner.

Further, it is contemplated that in some embodiments of the presentdisclosure the arms attached to the display holder and door clips may beof varying length, extendable or retractable according to the needs ordesires of the user. This may be accomplished, for example, withtelescoping members extending between the door clip and the displayholder.

Various components of the present disclosure may be formedintegrally—for example, ring 16 and ring arm 18 may be constructed froma single, unitary portion of material—or may be formed of individualpieces attached in any suitable manner.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what isclaimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includesthe following:
 1. A device for securing a display to a door, the doorbeing of the type having a glass pocket wherein a glass window isdisposed in the glass pocket, the glass pocket having a top, a bottom, aleft side and a right side, the device comprising: a first attachmentclip comprising a first side wall, a second side wall, and an end wallextending between the first side wall and the second side wall, and anarm attached to the first side wall and extending away therefrom; and adisplay retaining assembly comprising a frame assembly having a leftside rail which is configured to be urged against the left side of theglass pocket, the frame assembly further comprising a right side railwhich is configured to be urged against the right side of the glasspocket, the frame assembly further comprising a lower left side cliptrack attached at a bottom of the left side rail and a lower right sideclip track attached at a bottom of the right side rail, and a bottomrail member spanning between the left side rail and the right side rail,the bottom rail member comprising a left end attached to the lower leftside clip track and a right end attached to the lower right side cliptrack, wherein the bottom rail member is configured to be disposed atthe bottom of the glass pocket, the display retaining assembly attachedto an end of the arm distal to the end wall, wherein the displayretaining assembly is configured to apply a load causing the first sidewall to engage a first surface of said door, the second side wall toengage a second side of said door, and urging the end wall against aside of said door.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the arm has anadjustable length allowing the end of the arm to be adjusted withrespect to the first side wall.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein thefirst attachment clip attaches to the lower left side clip track and thesecond attachment clip attaches to the lower right side clip track. 4.The device of claim 3 further comprising an upper left side clip trackattached at an upper end of the left side rail, the device furthercomprising an upper right side clip track attached at an upper end ofthe right side rail.
 5. The device of claim 4 comprising a thirdattachment clip attached to the upper left side clip track and a fourthattachment clip attached to the upper right side clip track.
 6. Thedevice of claim 5 further comprising an upper rail member which spansbetween the left side rail and the right side rail, the upper railmember disposed above the upper left side clip track and the upper rightside clip track.
 7. A method of attaching a display to a glass door, theglass door having a sheet of glass disposed within a glass pocket havinga bottom, a left side and right side, the method comprising thefollowing steps: attaching a left side rail having an inwardly facingchannel and a right side rail having an inwardly facing channel to abottom rail, the bottom rail comprising a left side tee-member having anupwardly facing opening for receiving the left side rail, the bottomrail further comprising a right side tee-member having an upwardlyfacing opening for receiving the right side rail, the bottom railfurther comprising an upwardly facing channel; sliding a left side cliptrack over the left side rail; securing the left side clip track to afixed position at an upper end of the left side rail; sliding a rightside clip track over the right side rail; securing the right side cliptrack to a fixed position at an upper end of the right side rail;setting the bottom rail at the bottom of the glass pocket; urging theleft side rail against the left side of the glass pocket; urging theright side rail against the right side of the glass pocket; attaching alower left side clip member to the left side tee-member and to a lowerleft side of the glass door; attaching a lower right side clip member tothe right side tee-member and to a lower right side of the glass door;attaching an upper left side clip to the left side clip track and to anupper left side of the glass door; attaching an upper right side clip tothe right side clip track and to an upper right side of the glass door;inserting the display into the inwardly facing channels of the left siderail and the right side rail; sliding the display downwardly until alower edge of the display is inserted into the upwardly facing channelof the bottom rail; and installing a top rail which spans between theleft side rail and the right side rail.